The Chicken In-House Environment Can be Improved
by the Use of Nanotechnology
Shaza Zarnab1,
M. Tariq Javed*1, Al-Hafiza
Shafia Tehseen Gul1 and
Muhammad Shahid Mahmood2
1Department
of Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad; 2Department
of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
*Corresponding author:mtjaved@uaf.edu.pk
Abstract
The broiler performance can be influenced by
optimizing the in-house environment and the negative effects of litter on the
environment of the poultry can be minimized by the utilization of nanoparticles
to reduce the ammonia production. For this purpose, this study was performed for
42 days, including540-day-old
broiler birds to ascertain the best levels of nanoparticles. The birds were
randomly divided at day 15 into A-I groups, where A was as positive control, B
as negative control, and C as starch treatment group. The groups D, E and F were
divided into three subgroups. Birds were treated with three types of
nanoparticles, i.e., alum, zinc oxide and copper oxide. Nanoparticles were
sprayed on litter material to kill the litter microbes and reduce the ammonia
emission. Ammonia was produced by maintaining wet litter conditions by
sprinkling water at the rate of 250 ml per day for first week of treatment
trial. Ammonia, temperature, moisture, humidity, litter pH and feed consumption
were recorded daily throughout the experiment. Air and litter microbial counts
were recorded on weekly basis. Ammonia, humidity and pH levels depicted
significantly (P<0.05) lower level in treatment groups (ZnO @ 500 mg/m2),
(ZnO @1000 mg/m2) and (ZnO @ 1500 mg/m2) from the control
positive group in the 3rd week. Air microbial count was significantly
(P<0.05) lower in ZnO (@1000 mg/m2) group in 3rd week from
the control positive group. In week 4, all the treatment groups showed
significantly (P<0.05) lower litter microbial count from that of the control
positive group. The study showed that copper oxide, zinc oxide and alum
nanoparticles can be used as possible substitute to overcome the in-house
environmental problems. However, there is need to investigate the real impact of
these nanoparticles as environmental modifiers.
To Cite This Article:
Zarnab S, Javed MT,
Gul AHST,
Mahmood MS, 2022. The chicken in-house environment can be improved by the use of
nanotechnology. Pak Vet J, 42(4): 526-532.
http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2022.062